Portable scale and hopper for coaling-stations.



No. 641,232. Pafted 1an. 9, |900! n. A, ROBINSON. v PORTABLE SCALE AND HOPPER FOR COALING STATIONS.

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NITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

DIGI-ITON A'. ROBINSON, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 641,232, dated January 9, 1900.

Application filed January 28,1898. Serial No. 668,317. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, DIGHTON A. ROBINSON, of the city of Minneapolis, county of Hennepin, State of Minnesota, have invented certain Improvements in Portable Hoppers and Scales for Coaling-Stations, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in devices designed to be used in connection with coaling-stations, and especially in connection with the coaling-stations of the class shown and described in my application for patent, Serial No. 643,539, led July 6, 1897, and two applications executed by me of even date herewith.

'The invention consists generally in provid'- ing a framework wherein a series of movable coal-pockets are supported, a track and car movable thereon at right angles to the line of movement of said pockets, said car being provided With a hopper to receive coal from an elevator, and means for moving said car back and forth to distribute the coal among said pockets.

The invention consists, further, in the constructions and combinations hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The accompanying drawing is a side elevation and partial section of a coaling-station, showing my device arranged in connection therewith.

In the drawing,2 represents a suitable structure or framework upon which the operative parts of the coaling-station are supported.

Suitably arranged upon this structure or framework are a number of coal-pockets 3, each of which is preferably adapted to receive and hold a supply of coal and to be run forward upon its supporting-tracks, so as to project from the framework sufficiently to discharge its contents into the tender of a locomotive standing alongside of the coaling-station.

While I do not wish to be limited to any particular form or construction of the pockets 3, yet I prefer to employ pockets substantially of the construction and mode of operation shown and described in the application of John Simpson, Serial No. 652,417, filed September 21, 1897.

The elevator 4 is of any suitable construction and is adapted to carry coal to a point above the pockets 3. Arranged over the pockets 3 is a suitable track 5, and a car 6 is adapted to travel over this track and to be brought into position over any one of the pockets 3. This car carries a hopper 7, adapted to receive the material from the elevator and to discharge it into any one of the pockets 3. If preferred, a scale 8 may be arrangedupon the car 6, and the hopper 7 may be supported upon this scale, so that the weight of the hopper and its contents may at any time be quickly and accurately ascertained. I may also arrange a section 9 of the track 5 upon the levers 10 and 11 of a suitable scale 12, this section 9 being preferably arranged directly beneath the head of the elevator. By this means the weight of the car, the hopper, and the contents of the hopper may be ascertained before the car is moved away from the position in which the hopper is iilled from the elevator. In this instance the scale 8 upon the car may be dispensed with, and the hopper 7 may be supported directly upon the car or formed integrally therewith. I may provide any suitable means for moving the car along the track 5. I have here shown a suitable cable 13, connected at its end to the opposite end of the car and extending over pulleys 14 and 15. The pulley 15 is mounted upon a shaft 16, which may be driven by a friction-gearing 17 18 from the main shaft 19 of the station. A lever 18' may be provided for controlling the friction device so as to operate the cable for moving the carin either direction. A cord 2O is connected to the 1ever 18 and passes around suitable fixed pulleys 21, under the idler-pulleys 22, and around a pulley 23 at the upper part of the elevator. A crank 24: is provided for turning the pulley 23 in either direction, and this pulley may be provided with suitable ratchets adapted to be engaged by pawls 25 26 for the purpose of holding said pulley, and thereby holding the lever 18',in either position desired. Any suitable arrangement may, however, be used for operating the lever 18 from the upper part of the elevator or, in fact, from any part thereof.

The details of the construction may obviously be varied in many ways without des parting from my invention.

I claim as my invention@ 1. The combination, with a framework 2 and an elevator 4, of a series of movable coalpockets 3 supported in said framework, a track arranged above said coal-pockets, a car movable on said track and at right angles to the line of movement of said coal-pockets, a hopper carried by said car to receive coal from said elevator, and means for moving said car back and forth upon said track to distribute the coal to a series of coal-pockets, substantially-as described.

2. The combination, with a frame 2 and an elevator eL, of aseries of coal-pockets 3 mounted on said frame, and movable back and forth on tracks provided thereon, a track arranged above said coal-pockets at right angles to the line of travel of the same, a car adapted to travel over said track, a hopper having an open bottom carried by said car and adapted t0 receive coal from said elevator and distribute it among the series of coal-pockets, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand this 24th day of January, 1898.

DIGHTON A. ROBINSON. Witnesses:

A. C. PAUL, M. C. NOONAN. 

